Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kalgoorlie and Nosara

For one person, living costs are similar in Kalgoorlie and in Nosara: $1,929 and $1,839 a month, rent and utilities included.

Kalgoorlie
🇦🇺 Australia
$1,929
/mo nomad
Nosara
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,839
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kalgoorlie and in Nosara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kalgoorlie and in Nosara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,929 in Kalgoorlie versus $1,839 in Nosara.

  • Kalgoorlie $1,929
  • Nosara $1,839

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,287 in Kalgoorlie versus $2,828 in Nosara.

  • Kalgoorlie $3,287
  • Nosara $2,828

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,645 in Kalgoorlie versus $3,818 in Nosara.

  • Kalgoorlie $4,645
  • Nosara $3,818

Living in Kalgoorlie is roughly 5% more expensive than in Nosara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Kalgoorlie 43% above, Nosara 36% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.55 A$25.25
$12.35 ₡5,539
42.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.3 A$121
$61.2 ₡27.4K
37.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.63 A$15.29
$7.52 ₡3,373
41.36%
Cappuccino
$4.42 A$6.36
$4.41 ₡1,978
0.23%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 A$5.35
$1.74 ₡780
113.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 A$5.15
$1.31 ₡587
173.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.37 A$9.16
$3.28 ₡1,471
94.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.24 A$10.42
$4.47 ₡2,004
61.97%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 A$2.20
$1.56 ₡701
-1.92%
White Bread (500g)
$3.46 A$4.99
$3.02 ₡1,355
14.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 A$3.28
$2.51 ₡1,125
-9.16%
Eggs
$4.52 A$6.50
$3.57 ₡1,603
26.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.34 A$13.44
$7.43 ₡3,333
25.71%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.09 A$13.08
$10.52 ₡4,717
-13.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.84 A$21.35
$13.97 ₡6,265
6.23%
Apples (1kg)
$3.80 A$5.46
$2.35 ₡1,052
61.70%
Banana (1kg)
$2.99 A$4.30
$1.61 ₡720
85.71%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.34 A$4.80
$4.80 ₡2,152
-30.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.72 A$6.78
$1.61 ₡724
193.17%
Potato (1kg)
$2.68 A$3.86
$3.80 ₡1,703
-29.47%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 A$3.36
$3.69 ₡1,657
-36.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.14 A$3.08
$1.13 ₡507
89.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.49 A$2.15
$2.66 ₡1,191
-43.98%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$40.93 A$58.9
$5.18 ₡2,321
690.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.69 A$19.70
$19.88 ₡8,916
-31.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.82 A$6.94
$2.90 ₡1,300
66.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.16 A$7.43
$3.63 ₡1,626
42.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.94 A$4.23
$1.12 ₡504
162.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$81.8 A$118
$72.6 ₡32.6K
12.65%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.51 A$5.05
$2.14 ₡958
64.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.47 A$2.12
$1.57 ₡703
-6.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$43.13 A$62.1
$8.52 ₡3,823
406.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 A$1.95
$1.52 ₡682
-10.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.0K A$33.2K
$21.6K ₡9.7M
6.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.7K A$48.5K
$34.5K ₡15.5M
-2.34%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$310 A$446
$96.3 ₡43.2K
221.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.8 A$80.3
$35.89 ₡16.1K
55.42%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.5 A$98.6
$53.6 ₡24.0K
27.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$37.87 A$54.5
$71.6 ₡32.1K
-47.10%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.04 A$28.83
$34.91 ₡15.7K
-42.60%
Cinema Ticket
$17.75 A$25.54
$7.89 ₡3,539
124.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,839 A$2,646
$494 ₡221.6K
272.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.3K A$26.3K
$11.9K ₡5.3M
54.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.2 A$113
$53.9 ₡24.2K
44.98%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$55.3 A$79.5
$55.4 ₡24.8K
-0.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 A$155
$77.9 ₡34.9K
37.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 A$189
$79.6 ₡35.7K
65.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,387 A$1,996
$788 ₡353.4K
76.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$479 A$689
$794 ₡356.2K
-39.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,659 A$2,387
$3,939 ₡1.8M
-57.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,543 A$2,221
$1,419 ₡636.5K
8.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,435 A$7,821
$6,912 ₡3.1M
-21.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,339 A$7,683
$1,224 ₡549.0K
336.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kalgoorlie
Nosara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,038 A$8,688
$864 ₡387.3K
599.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.25
8.62
-27.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kalgoorlie: October 10, 2026

Last update for Nosara: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kalgoorlie
$479
Nosara
$794 65.8% $315
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kalgoorlie
$434
Nosara
$186 57.2% $248
Groceries & Markets
Kalgoorlie
$370
Nosara
$352 4.8% $18
Eating Out
Kalgoorlie
$301
Nosara
$212 29.6% $89
Clothing & Footwear
Kalgoorlie
$168
Nosara
$120 28.4% $48
Getting Around
Kalgoorlie
$104
Nosara
$87 16.6% $17
Sport & Entertainment
Kalgoorlie
$73
Nosara
$87 19.1% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,387 in Kalgoorlie and $788 in Nosara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kalgoorlie pays 599% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $84.0 in Kalgoorlie vs $61.0 in Nosara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 vs $352 per month, with Nosara cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇦🇺 Kalgoorlie
🇨🇷 Nosara
🕒 Local time
18:01 6:01 PM
04:01 4:01 AM
14 h behind Kalgoorlie
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
29,068
4,912
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to AUD – Australian Dollar Converter

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kalgoorlie Nosara 16,380 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kalgoorlie
  • Nosara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Kalgoorlie vs Nosara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kalgoorlie or Nosara?
Nosara wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Kalgoorlie. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nosara the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Kalgoorlie or in Nosara?
Average pay runs 599% higher in Kalgoorlie, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Kalgoorlie compared to Nosara?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,387 in Kalgoorlie versus $788 in Nosara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Kalgoorlie compared to Nosara?
A monthly transit pass in Nosara runs roughly 13% less than in Kalgoorlie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Kalgoorlie and in Nosara?
Childcare runs $1,839 in Kalgoorlie versus $494 in Nosara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Kalgoorlie or in Nosara?
At $1,839 in Nosara versus $1,929 in Kalgoorlie, a $3,000 budget is realistic in Nosara but tight or insufficient in Kalgoorlie. The gap between the two cities makes Nosara the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kalgoorlie or Nosara?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nosara delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,839 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nosara hard to pass up.
How safe is Kalgoorlie compared to Nosara?
Safety-wise, Kalgoorlie and Nosara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nosara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Kalgoorlie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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